Is A Smartphone App Your First Defense Against Skin Cancer?

As a Venezuelan who grew up going to the beach almost every weekend, I spent my youth basking in the sun without ever giving too much thought to my skin—except whether or not it had reached an acceptable golden hue. But following a melanoma diagnosis two years ago, I became somewhat irrationally paranoid about UV exposure. Converted from sun-worshipper to sun-phobic in a matter of moments, I was newly (and maniacally) aware of every single spot on my body. Suddenly moles that had been there for years seemed suspicious and every new mark that turned up on my arms, my back, or my legs appeared ominous.

These days, I’m diligent about my three-times-a-year skin checks, but the time between doctor’s appointments is often filled with a lingering sense of worry. To calm my nerves, a friend recently suggested downloading a skin-cancer app that takes a photo of a spot and analyzes it in seconds. And while I was wary of trading in medical expertise for something I could download on my phone, I was intrigued. Earlier this spring, I’d seen the headlines about DermoScreen, a novel smartphone app being tested at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center that, when used in conjunction with a magnifying lenslike attachment that illuminates and scans suspicious spots, demonstrated an 85-percent accuracy rate in early studies, according to the app’s creator. It could still be years away from approval, but a quick scan of the iTunes store revealed that there are plenty of skin-cancer apps available right now. For those of us who have to diligently keep track of our spots, could this new technology actually be helpful?

In search of a professional opinion, I called up Ellen Marmur, M.D. “I think it can be both beneficial and harmful,” says the New York City dermatologist of using the new apps. She believes that their easy accessibility and tech friendliness have the potential to reach a lot more young people—the fastest growing population to be diagnosed with melanomas, according to Marmur—and more importantly, help educate men and women on the basics of skin cancer. “They get people to think about their skin, map their skin, and start understanding what it is to have a good mole and a bad mole,” says Marmur.

Still, she’s quick to caution that they’re no substitute for a trained eye. An app, she explains, can only provide a two-dimensional photo of one specific mole, while a dermatologist can get a 3D look at a worrisome spot, as well as how it compares to the other moles on your body. This is called the “ugly duckling” method of diagnosing a dark spot that doesn’t quite fit in—something an app is still unable to do.

Ultimately, when used as part of a well-rounded preventative strategy, skin cancer apps do seem to offer real benefits, including the ability to track a particular mole’s evolution or set reminders for routine spot checks with your dermatologist. Most importantly, “don’t use these apps as a delay mechanism,” says Marmur. “Use them as an information-gathering resource” and be diligent about your yearly or bi-yearly doctor’s appointments.

Below, we take a look at three smart skin-cancer apps you can download now.

Doctor Mole

After taking a photo of a suspicious mole, Doctor Mole instantly analyzes it using the ABCDEs of skin cancer: asymmetry, border irregularity, color, diameter, and evolution of a spot. It then places your spot on a scale for each category (symmetrical to asymmetrical, smooth to jagged), and provides photos of different moles to give users an idea of what looks normal and what doesn’t.

SpotCheck

For those in the habit of asking their family friend who also happens to be a doctor to check out every mole that troubles them, SpotCheck is the app for you. Using your iPhone camera, you can take a photo of your mole and send it to a board-certified dermatologist for an evaluation. (It’s currently only available in select states.) Within 24 hours, you’ll have a preliminary answer about whether your mole looks benign or atypical, and if it’s the latter, the app provides a list of dermatologists close by and even helps set up an appointment.

Mole Detective

In addition to analyzing the ABCDEs of a mole, this app allows users to pinpoint its exact location on the body, providing a basic way of mapping all of your spots. It also offers a risk factor assessment from green (benign) to red (not good) and can be set to issue a monthly reminder for updating your photos of each mole.